1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearms and, more particularly, to a firearm having a fixed cartridge magazine top.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
By way of background, certain assault weapons have been outlawed in the United States. A key feature in illegal-assault weapons is the presence of a magazine clip that has a very large capacity. More specifically, with the enactment on Sep. 13, 1994 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, magazines for pistols were restricted to ten rounds or less, other than those manufactured for law enforcement agencies and for government use. Pursuant to that legislation, magazines for civilian use were restricted in capacity to ten rounds or less and were required to be manufactured by stamping process. This historical information is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,426, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 is also referred to The Crime Bill. The Crime Bill labels firearms as xe2x80x9cassault weaponsxe2x80x9d by two methods: name and description. All told, the ban affects more than 175 semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns and revolving cylinder shotgunsxe2x80x94a cross section of firearms of various sizes, shapes, and calibers/gauges. The Crime Bill recites broadly that any semi-automatic rifle or handgun is banned which includes a detachable magazine plus a number of other factors. This addition historical information is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,224, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
The same laws that ban illegal assault weapons also provide that if suitable major modifications are made to the assault weapon, the then modified assault weapon can become legal. One type of firearm design which has been commercially available for general civilian retail sales has used an M-16 style of upper and lower receiver configuration. This has included firearms such as the COLT AR-15(copyright), COLT SPORTER(copyright), the COLT MATCH TARGET(copyright), and the Bushmaster XM-15, for example. Some purchasers of rifles prefer the M-16 style of upper and lower receiver configuration because of many factors, such as familiarity with the weapon from prior military service, and/or relative ease for obtaining service and replacement parts because of the firearm configuration""s popularity.
There is a desire to provide a firearm having an M-16 style configuration which does not use a removable magazine. Preferably, such a firearm will comprise an internal magazine which is adapted to contain ten cartridges or less. There is also a desire to provide a firearm having an M-16 style configuration which is required to undergo a partial disassembly to load new cartridges into the cartridge magazine. There is also a desire to provide a firearm having an M-16 style configuration which requires cartridges to be loaded into an internal cartridge magazine in a direction from a top of the firearm. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cM-16 style configurationxe2x80x9d is intended to mean a gas operated or blowback operated firearm which has an upper receiver and a lower receiver connected to each other by a front hinge and a rear takedown pin, and a reciprocating bolt carrier and bolt.
A magazine receiver apparatus is provided for a firearm that has a firearm firing unit, and the magazine receiver apparatus includes a magazine receiver housing which includes first housing-to-firing-unit connector means, second housing-to-firing-unit connector means, and a magazine well which includes a spring reception recess. The magazine receiver housing further includes a set screw reception channel in a wall of the magazine well, and further includes a magazine housing set screw received in the set screw reception channel.
A spring-loaded assembly is received in the magazine well and the spring reception recess. The spring-loaded magazine assembly includes a magazine housing push-up spring received in the spring reception recess. A magazine housing follower is pushed up by the magazine housing push-up spring, and cartridges contained in the magazine housing are pushed up by the magazine housing follower. The magazine housing has a maximum capacity of ten cartridges.
The magazine housing includes a set screw reception well for receiving the magazine housing set screw for securing the spring-loaded magazine assembly in the magazine well.
Preferably, the first housing-to-firing-unit connector means include a first hinge portion formed in the magazine receiver housing, a second hinge portion formed in the firearm firing unit, and a hinge pin received in the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion to form a hinged connection between the firearm firing unit and the magazine receiver apparatus. The first. hinge portion includes a front pivot pin reception channel.
Preferably, the second housing-to-firing unit connector means includes a first takedown pin reception channel in the magazine receiver housing, a second takedown pin reception channel in the firearm firing unit, and takedown pin received in the first takedown pin reception channel and the second takedown pin reception channel for securing the magazine receiver housing to the firearm firing unit. Preferably, the magazine receiver housing includes a pin advancement well surrounding on end of the first takedown pin reception channel.
The magazine receiver housing further includes a stock-connector portion for connecting to a firearm stock. Also, the magazine receiver housing further includes a grip-connector portion for connection to a firearm pistol grip.
Preferably, the magazine receiver ho using further includes a self-contained takedown-pin-detent assembly for retaining the takedown pin in the magazine receiver housing.
Preferably, the takedown-pin-detent assembly includes a takedown pin detent assembly reception channel extending from outside the magazine receiver housing to the first takedown pin reception channel. A takedown pin detent set screw reception channel portion is formed as part of the first takedown pin reception channel, distal from the first takedown pin reception channel. A takedown pin detent ball is located in the takedown pin detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the first takedown pin reception channel. A takedown pin detent ball is located inside the takedown pin detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the first takedown pin reception channel. A takedown pin detent spring is located in the takedown pin detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the takedown pin detent ball. A takedown pin detent set screw is received in the takedown pin detent set screw reception channel portion adjacent to the takedown pin detent spring.
Preferably, the magazine receiver housing further includes a self-contained safety switch detent assembly for retaining a safety switch assembly in the magazine receiver housing. The safety switch detent assembly includes a safety switch detent assembly reception channel extending from outside the magazine receiver housing to contacted portion of a safety switch assembly. A safety detent assembly reception channel formed as part of the safety switch detent assembly reception channel, distal from the contacted portion of the safety switch assembly. A safety detent. ball located inside the safety switch detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the contacted portion of the safety switch assembly. A safety detent spring located in the safety switch detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the safety detent ball, and a safety detent set screw received in the safety detent assembly reception channel adjacent to the safety detent spring.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a firearm is provided including a barrel, an upper receiver, a lower receiver, a cartridge magazine top, a magazine follower, and a magazine spring. The upper receiver has the barrel attached thereto. The lower receiver is pivotably attached to the upper receiver. The lower receiver comprises a one piece frame member forming a magazine well with an integral substantially closed bottom end. The magazine top is stationarily attached to the lower receiver. The magazine top comprises inward projecting rear cartridge retaining ears and front cartridge feeding lips at a top aperture through the magazine top. The magazine follower is movably located in the magazine well of the lower receiver. The spring is located between the closed bottom end of the magazine well and the magazine follower.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a firearm subassembly is provided comprising a firearm receiver frame member having a magazine well; a magazine top fixedly attached to the firearm receiver frame member at a top of the magazine well; and a magazine follower and a magazine spring located in the magazine well below the magazine top. The magazine top comprises rear cartridge retaining ears at a top aperture through the magazine top. A bottom portion of the magazine top is located against an upwardly facing ledge inside a top portion of the magazine well.
In accordance with one method of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a firearm subassembly is provided comprising steps of forming a one-piece firearm lower receiver frame member by forging the frame member and machining the frame member to form a magazine well with a substantially closed bottom end, wherein the lower receiver frame member is sized and shaped to be pivotably connected to a firearm upper receiver; inserting a magazine spring and a magazine follower into the magazine well of the lower receiver frame member; and stationarily attaching a magazine top to the lower receiver frame member to at least partially cover a top cartridge entrance/exit to the magazine well at an upper side of the lower receiver frame member. The magazine top comprises rear cartridge retaining ears and front cartridge feeding lips. Cartridges can only be loaded into the magazine well of the lower receiver frame member by pressing the cartridges through the top of the magazine well at the upper side of the lower receiver frame member through the magazine top.